Sword
by Swirl-O-Whirl
Summary: Leonardo and Usagi have finally found some quiet in their usually hectic lives. Unfortunately, even a retired ninja and samurai can still face adversity. (Retired AU, originally written for LeoSagi Week)


_A/N: *whew* Finally finished this behemoth of a story! This was originally going to be a story for "LeoSagi Week" on Tumblr, but due to various circumstances I never got around to finishing it on time. So here is my story: a "Retired AU" fic where Leo and Usagi are a couple of old men in love. Enjoy!_

* * *

She had to do this right. She knew that the only way to approach was to be cautious. One false move and she could expose her position, putting herself in danger. Crouched in the tall grass she considered how she could best approach the figure, who was currently on the move. The man had a walking stick in his right hand and a sack of produce tied to his back. He wore a simple blue kimono, and straw _sugegasa_ atop his head. His only companion was a purple _tokage_ , who was more occupied with chasing an errant butterfly than following the trail.

Narrowing her eyes she considered her options. She knew what she had to do, but the main concern was how to actually execute the deed. The man was middle-aged, and did not have any weapons on his person, but he still appeared strong enough to carry such a large load on his back. If the man was indeed as strong as he appeared, there might be more of a struggle than he had previously expected. But that matter would be quickly taken care of, once the true objective was complete.

When the man slowed his walk as he stopped in front of a stream, gazing down at the dragonflies and fish, she knew that this was her best chance. The opportunity for a sneak attack was right in-front of her and she had to take it. She took a deep breath, gathered her courage and-

"Eep?"

She found herself face-to-face with the _tokage_. A high-pitched scream sounded out in the once quiet field. The _tokage_ let out her own yelp and ran back to the man.

She tried her best to calm her startled heart and quickened breathing. This was not good. She had to get away as quickly as possible.

"Excuse me?"

She gulped, and turned towards the source of the voice. A concerned green face looked down at him.

"Are you unwell? I apologize if my _tokage_ startled you. Klunk is harmless, truly."

Moriko knew she was in trouble now.

* * *

By all accounts today was rather "ordinary" by Leonardo's standards. He woke early with his husband, they were both unable to shake the habit of rising with the sun, and together they had delegated their morning chores between each other. Today it was his turn to cook, and he was rather satisfied with how the rice had turned out this morning. Judging on the expression on Usagi's face he enjoyed the meal as well, which was not unexpected, they had been living together for over twenty years now, but still greatly appreciated. Their _tokage_ , Klunk and Spot, also ate their meal with gusto, and licked the bowls so clean they looked as though they came from the shelves.

Once their meal was finished, Usagi collected and washed the dishes. These days there was very little to discuss between the turtle and rabbit, as their lives had entered into a gentle lull in comparison to the near constant dangers the pair had faced in their younger years. The only real "news" they kept track of was of the recent status of Lord Noriyuki, as Usagi was still served the panda whenever his skills were required, how their growing extended family, and many friends, fared, as well as the exciting prospect of becoming grandfathers in the near future. And so, on days such as this, the turtle and rabbit enjoyed the silence of their home, as the sounds of dishes being cleaned, the gentle sound of the wind chime that Mikey's children had fashioned many years ago, and the quiet snore of the _tokages_ , filled the air.

Leonardo paused to take in his surroundings. Their house was surprisingly modest in terms of size and style, especially for the dwellings of a samurai, but it perfectly suited the temperament of its residents. The only thing that observers may have deemed "out of the ordinary" was the size of the sliding doors, as they were noticeably taller than the turtle and rabbit. Granted the casual observer was unaware of the abnormally tall in-laws that had occupied the Hamato family, and thus the taller doors were essential in the event of guests. The only other bit of visible flourish that was given to the house was the numerous mementos that were kept across the house. A suit of armour, pictures of their family, fine pottery, and the swords the couple had gifted to each other that Christmas over thirty years ago.

The final other expense given to their home was hidden to the inattentive eyes: a security system of intentionally creaky boards, and tripwires, set up by Donatello some years ago. Thankfully the threat of intruders was considerably lower now, but the rabbit and turtle had agreed that given the number of enemies they had accumulated over the years a bit of extra security was better than none.

Finishing his tea Leonardo set out to take care of the garden. While it was not their most successful year in terms of crops, there were still plenty of vegetables that would keep their stores filled and help bring in some extra coin at the marketplace. After taking care of a few errant weeds, Leo gathered the best of their harvest into his backpack, carefully placing the more delicate food on the top along with his packed bento box. He had already gone over what they needed with Usagi last night, so he was confident that he would not forget anything.

He was about to stand upright when he felt something placed on his head, darkening the world around him. The turtle smiled and turned towards his partner, who had placed a straw _sugegasa_ on his head. The rabbit grinned to his husband.

"It's going to be bright out," he stated. It was a simple gesture, both the words and the hat, but Leo knew they showed Usagi's caring nature.

The turtle returned the smile and stood up to meet his husband. They were practically nose-to-nose to each other, due to Usagi standing on the porch while Leo remained on the ground. This was certainly one of the many perks of having a home.

"I'll be alright," the turtle reassured, brushing his hand through the fur on the rabbit's cheek. Neither one had appeared as aged in comparison to their peers, but the samurai's white fur had gradually become a silver grey in recent years, a feature that Leo found very flattering in his husband.

"Just promise me you'll be patient with the students," he implored, "You must remember what it was like to be so young."

The rabbit sighed. Usagi had recently begun to teach a small class of students, from across the Geishu province, the unorthodox fighting style that Katsuichi- _sensei_ had created many years ago. Not many had shown the proper aptitude to learn the unconventional techniques, but those who did showed promise that had made Usagi optimistic. Unfortunately they were also rather young, with the youngest being eight and the eldest being thirteen, and as such would commonly make overzealous mistakes that reflected the over-eagerness of youth.

Watching the students practice filled the couple with nostalgia for their own days as students. Leonardo was reminded of how each of his brothers had learned their own strengths and weaknesses while training with each other, eventually developing a better understanding of how to apply those skills to fight together and to be better warriors. Usagi, however, was reminded of his own younger self, and how prideful and foolish he had been. He empathized, and sympathized, with his own teacher and the vast amounts of patience he must have required to deal with just one student.

Still, he would freely admit that he was proud of his students' progress, and it was clear that one day, they too would be great warriors. So long as they continued to practice.

"I will promise to be fair to them," Usagi conceded, "I will criticize them on where to improve, but it will be fair." While he still respected and admired his own _sensei_ , he did not subscribe to the belief that calling your students "cockroaches" and "cumquats" was constructive criticism.

"Good," Leo said leaning closer to the rabbit, and wrapped his hand behind his husband's head. The rabbit's nose twitched, a sight that was still adorable even after several decades together. Their lips met, soft and reassuring, and a pleased hum passed between them. They pulled back, brown eyes meeting pink, and smiled at each other. The rabbit chuckled.

"You truly are a creature of routine, my love."

The turtle merely shrugged, as if to convey "It's who I am".

Another small kiss passed between them before Leonardo began to walk on the path to the nearby village, Klunk loyally trailing behind, as Usagi and Spot watched from the porch of their home.

* * *

The trip to the village was unremarkable, but enjoyable. Dragonflies zoomed around the nearby lake, which Klunk had chased around before growing bored, and a few familiar faces waved in greeting to Leonardo, which he had returned in kind.

The village was slightly larger than average, as it was a common stopping point for travelers on their way to the central part of the Geishu province, but was still small enough to feel homely and welcoming. Though, the turtle mused, most places would feel small in comparison to his own "hometown".

Once he entered the central part of the market, Leonardo went to work setting up his crops. As expected the majority of the customers had been regulars; Kyogoku- _san_ had chosen the finest daikon radishes, as she always did, Kiyama- _san_ haggled him for his best cabbages, while Hasegawa- _san_ had purchased a few onions for an upcoming family dinner. Many passing travelers had managed to grab a few goods, such as a couple of elderly woodcutters, a bounty hunter, and a monk taking a pilgrimage. As the morning sun had shifted to high noon, Leo was thankful to Usagi for giving him the hat. He dug out his bento box and slowly enjoyed his meal, passing a few pieces of his lunch to Klunk who munched happily beside him.

Next Leo packed away the few vegetables that did not sell that morning and bought the few groceries the small family had needed. Some fresh local fish, more rice, and eggplants for Jotaro, since his son would be visiting soon. With the shopping taken care of it was time to head back, and with a whistle to Klunk the turtle and _tokage_ began their journey home.

It was five minutes into their usual walk when Leonardo sensed he was being watched. Years of ninja training had ensured that the turtle was always alert, but he was still surprised that someone was following him. He casually slipped his free hand into the sleeve of his kimono, where a small number of _shuriken_ were hidden away for an occasion such as this. He slowed his pace as he considered his options. He knew the potential threat was hiding in the tall grass, a classic choice but the execution was amateur, and that if the _shuriken_ somehow missed their target he still had the blade hidden within his walking stick. Still, what if this was merely one of many assailants? If this person would follow him on his route him, then surely they knew about Usagi? And what of the children, Usagi's students? He could not forgive himself if anything had happened to them. Still, he would not be hasty. There was no telling what this shadow had planned.

He paused for thought in front of the stream, as he wished to maintain the illusion of normalcy while he contemplated his next steps. He made sure that Klunk was still visible to him from the corner of his eye, but judging by the lizard's happy squeaks she did not notice the potential threat. Pausing in front of the water seemed to be exactly what the shadow wanted, as the subtle noise of shuffling grass subsided, and the general feeling of tension rose. Leonardo knew that this was it; the shadow would act and when they did he would make sure to act faster. He deftly placed a _shuriken_ to each finger and fidgeted with his walking stick slightly to draw the blade. He had hoped to return home with his produce unharmed, but food could always be repurchased.

It was then that he noticed that Klunk had begun to wander towards the tall grass. The turtle tensed. The _tokage_ had been a constant companion to him for several years now, so much so that she was as important to the family as her namesake was. Part of him wanted to drop his façade, grab Klunk, and strike now, but another part of him knew the risks would be too great if he acted now. He held his breath as the _tokage_ peeked her head into the grass.

"Eep?"

What happened next happened rather quickly. First there was a scream, which caused Klunk to yelp in return. Then there was a light "thump" sound in the tall grass, while the _tokage_ scampered towards the turtle for safety. While this was occurring Leonardo walked towards the source of the noise, scooping up the shaking lizard into his arms. When he was a few paces away from the foliage that he had noticed who his "assailant" was; a young badger child, who was probably from one of the local farms judging by the amount of dirt caked into their clothing. It appeared that Klunk had given the child more of a scare than they did her, as the youth was still catching their breath and was unaware that their cover had been compromised. Clearly, this child was no warrior in any sense of the word, for even the least experienced of Usagi's students had learned to properly respond to shock.

The turtle's posture relaxed. He was grateful that he did not act in haste, otherwise things could have escalated beyond his control. Still, that did not explain why this child had been following him. He needed answers, but he also had to be smart about obtaining them.

"Excuse me?"

That got their attention. The child gulped and turned to the turtle with eyes wide in shock. Now he was growing concerned for this youngster. What could cause such a young child to appear so fearful? He spoke again in, what he hoped, was a reassuring tone.

"Are you unwell? I apologize if my _tokage_ startled you. Klunk is harmless, truly."

* * *

Instead of an immediate answer the silence continued on for several seconds. Leonardo knew it was best to let the child process everything in their own time, so he did not push for any answers just yet. Instead he focused on keeping a grip on Klunk, whose fear had quickly dissolved into a mixture of curiosity and anger. _Tokages_ , even domesticated ones, did not enjoy being startled and would commonly lash out at those they considered threats. The reassuring words and calming pats seemed to help pacify the purple lizard. Klunk may be a sweetheart but, like her namesake, she was still fiercely protective of her turtle. Finally the youth began to speak.

"Please, spare me! I don't want to die!"

The turtle had become alarmed. Did this badger know he was a ninja? But that was highly implausible, since he and Usagi had both been very cautious about his identity. As far as the local villagers knew, Leonardo was a humble farmer who provided good crops at fair prices, and also kept house and did chores at Usagi's. Many people did not seem to care much at their cohabitation; the majority of the villagers presumed Leo was under Usagi's employment, and the pair neither encouraged nor denied the assumptions.

So to see a young child, so clearly afraid of him, sent the turtle's mind reeling. Where did he go wrong? Did the child see the _shuriken_? Had someone seen him during his late evening practice?

"What-" His trail of thought was interrupted again by another scream from the child.

"Please do not eat me _kappa_!"

And suddenly, it all fell into place with an unpleasant "click". The child thought he was a _yokai_ , known for their turtle-like appearances and for dragging unsuspecting victims underwater to a gruesome death. It reminded him of his early days of spending time in Usagi's dimension, where suspicious villagers would, in the best cases, walk away and avoid making eye contact with the turtle. Thankfully he had encountered very few people who were outright violent or aggressive towards him. He thought being called a monster was something he had gotten over with age, but the insinuation still stung.

But that did not matter right now. What mattered was to ensure that the child was calm and safe, otherwise they were liable to hurt themselves. He held out a free hand in, what he hoped to be, a calming gesture.

"I am not going to hurt you, child."

This comment seemed to surprise the youth as they gave an exaggerated blink, which reminded him of Jotaro when the rabbit was still a curious child, and their face became a classic image of a child developing a question.

"You're not?" they asked, and Leonardo was glad to hear that their voice was less fearful than they were before.

"No, child. Because I am not a _kappa_ ; I am a turtle."

"A turtle? But, Toshio- _kun_ said that you were a kappa!"

Leonardo sighed in a combination of relief and exhaustion. The child had clearly gotten over their fear, which was good, but it was frustrating to know that the local children had begun spreading rumors about him. Still, the name Toshio was awfully familiar.

"Do you mean Yoshida Toshio- _kun_?"

"Yes! He said he saw the bowl on your head and everything."

Now it all made sense. Some time ago, young Toshio, the son from an upper-classed family, came to Usagi to see if he could become his student. Sadly, it became clear that the unconventional style of sword fighting the rabbit taught was far too difficult for the child to learn. Still, his husband saw potential in the boy and suggested that he go to learn at the Falling Rain School where he could develop his full potential. Unfortunately, the boy's father took this as a personal offense and did not hide his anger and resentment towards the rabbit. The man even had the audacity to challenge Usagi to a duel, claiming that his husband's skill had been exaggerated. Unsurprisingly, Yoshida lost, with a little less hair but otherwise in one piece, and ran like a coward. He had hoped the duel would put an end to the matter, but it appeared that old grudges died hard regardless if it was held by father or son.

"So, you think I am a _kappa_ , because I have a bowl on my head?"

"Yes!"

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I do not have a bowl on my head."

"You liar! You have a bowl on your head, everyone knows that!" Despite their words of confidence, it was clear by the child's face that they were starting to doubt what they said was true.

"I am not lying, child. I am just a turtle," and with his words he began to remove the straw hat from atop his head and bent his head downwards so the child could see the top of his skull, "See?"

He let the child observe him, keeping in mind to hold Klunk close so that the _tokage_ would not do anything unexpected, and then felt the furred hand pat the top of his skull, checking to see if the green skin was real.

"You really _are_ a turtle," the child said, their voice no longer frightened or accusatory, but rather curious.

"Yes. And this is Klunk, my _tokage_. Say 'Hello', Klunk."

The lizard had become much more relaxed after the excitement was over, and gave a curious "Eep" as she sniffed the child's nose. Then, the lizard gave a small sneeze causing the child to laugh. Leonardo smiled. Everything had turned out just fine.

"Seems like she's taken a liking to you," and placed the lizard back onto the ground where she happily circled around her new friend.

" _Yoisho_ ," he muttered to himself as he began to stand, mindful of the _shuriken_ still in his hand and the heavy load on his back. His joints had not begun to hurt nearly as badly as Raph's, but it did not mean that the aches and pains that came with time and age did not affect him. He was glad that Klunk was able to pacify the child, and took the distraction as an opportunity to slip the _skuriken_ back into the secret pocket in the fold of his sleeve.

"Well, now that that's settled I suppose we should get moving. Come along, Klunk."

At the sound of the command the _tokage_ scuttled over towards the turtle. The pair were about to turn towards home when the child spoke again.

"Wait!"

And at the child's request the turtle turned from his place on the trail to look at the child. The badger gazed quizzically at him, which he was used to in his many years of dealing with children, but it was still rather odd seeing someone gaze up at him.

"Aren't you mad at me?"

"Why would I be mad at you, child?"

"Well, because I thought you were a _kappa_."

"I fail to see why that would make me angry. It was merely a misunderstanding."

"But," a pause as the child gathered their thoughts, "I was gonna take your walking stick."

Now the turtle was confused again, "Pardon?"

The child began to absently move a small rock with their big toe, their face downcast in shame.

"Toshio said, that if someone took your walking stick, that would prove you were a _kappa_ since you would have to bow to pick it up. And so, if someone could trick a _kappa_ and take the walking stick as proof you would have to be _really_ brave!"

"So, you tried to take my walking stick because of a dare?"

The child hummed in response and nodded their head solemnly.

"Toshio was bragging about how brave he was because he faced a _kappa_ and won. I called him a liar, everyone knows Toshio's scared of his own shadow, but then he said I couldn't understand because I'm 'just a peasant girl'. And then I decided I would prove that Toshio that I'm not a coward, like he is, and actually bring back proof. But, you never were a _kappa_. I'm really sorry, sir."

Leonardo gazed down at the girl, her head dipped in sincere apology that it was difficult not to feel sorry. He knew, both from firsthand experience and from viewing the actions of others, how a wounded pride could cloud one's better judgement. The fact that one so young was able to acknowledge their mistakes was quite impressive in itself, and it appeared that the child had learned from her mistake.

"I accept your apology, so long as you promise not to take anyone's walking stick in the future," the turtle responded with a smile he hoped to be reassuring.

The girl lifted her head and quickly rubbed her eyes against the tears that had begun to develop in her eyes. She then smiled and bowed.

"Thank you, so much, sir!"

"It is no issue. Now then, I am afraid to be rude but I am needed elsewhere. Please excuse me," and with that the turtle turned to leave again.

"Wait!"

Leonardo paused and bit back a sigh. Usagi would start to be worried at this rate, and if there was one thing he disliked it was to cause his husband unnecessary concern.

"Let me help you, sir! You have a lot to carry, right? So I'll help you."

Normally Leonardo would find the enthusiasm of youth to be endearing, and in truth he still did now, but he did not wish to waste more time than was needed.

"Do not worry yourself. I may be old, but I can still carry a few vegetables."

"Please, sir. I _want_ to help, it's the least I could do after all the trouble I caused."

This time the turtle did sigh. There was no helping it then.

"Very well," and he carefully placed his bundle of produce on the ground. After a few moments he gathered up the hardiest vegetables and handed to the girl, for while he trusted the child he still wished for his produce to return relatively unbruised.

"Can you carry all this?"

"Yes, sir!"

The turtle chuckled; she reminded him of a much younger Jotaro and his fierce determination to help his fathers with the chores.

"Alright, it's not too far."

And they began to walk down the trail again. Klunk waddled to the front, since she was eager to head home and see her mate, Spot. The young girl followed after, holding the vegetables carefully and closely. Leonardo brought up the rear and proceeded along slowly, to maintain the façade that he was merely an old gardener, as opposed to a seasoned warrior. The traveling party was silence, aside from a few curious "Eeps" from Klunk, until the girl turned towards Leonardo while she was walking.

"What is your name?"

"You may call me Hamato Ryo," the turtle simply stated. Years of stating this name to the people of this dimension made the "lie" easier to tell. Plus, it was not too different from his real name, so he did not feel guilty in omitting the whole truth.

"My name is Moriko. Pleased to meet you!"

"Likewise."

* * *

Finally the home Leo and Usagi shared came into view. Klunk broke off into a sprint, and called out to Spot, who responded back. Soon the two _tokages_ were nuzzling each other affectionately, a sight that while commonplace in Leonardo's life still caused him to smile. Usagi's students were out in front of the building, practicing their final techniques for the day. Usagi stood vigil and gave out words of advice to his students as they practised their technique, but the turtle could tell that his husband was agitated. He loathed to be a cause of distress for his lover, but at the same time he knew that his partner would understand the reason for the delay.

Thankfully this concern was unfounded as Usagi turned his head towards the trail, paused, and smiled at him. Leonardo felt himself flush slightly; even after being married all these years his husband's open smile towards him had made him giddy, like he was at that first Battle Nexus all-over again. The smile was brief, as the rabbit's face turned to one of a stern teacher as he turned towards his students. Though he could not hear what Usagi was saying Leo already suspected what the students were hearing, judging by the body language of the students. It seemed as though one of the children had been over exuberant, a common mistake for one so young, but overall the training session had gone by smoothly.

He was close enough to the house to hear his husband telling the students to return on time tomorrow, signifying that the lessons for the day were over. A chorus of voices stating "Yes, _sensei_ ," accompanied this remark, and the group of young ones bowed in respect to their teacher. Upon completing their afternoon remarks one of the children, the young lady Tomoyo, pointed out his arrival to the rest of the students.

"Good afternoon, Hamato- _san_."

"Oh, Hamato- _san_! Did you get us vegetables?"

" _Baka_! Those are for _sensei_! Don't be a glutton."

The barrage of voices and questions would have been overwhelming to the turtle many years ago, but as he became an uncle, and later a father, he had become more adjusted to the inquisitive nature of children.

"Good afternoon everyone. Did you do a good job today?"

"Yes, sir!" replied the group. While they did not know Leonardo was a warrior in his own right, they still held a fair amount of respect for the turtle, even if it was only as a gardener.

"That's good to hear. Well done everyone."

The praise caused group of students beamed with pride, and while Usagi tried to do his best to maintain the image of the stern teacher, his eyes softened to showcase his pride towards his pupils.

"Now then, it's time for you all to head home," Usagi stated, "You don't want Hamato-san to stand around all evening holding vegetables now do you?"

And with that the students began to walk together and chatter about the day's lesson. The pantomime of over exaggerated exhaustion reminded the couple of their own experiences as young students. Once they confirmed that all of the students had left, either on their own or with their guardians, did the rabbit turn to properly face the young badger.

"I see that I have been so wrapped up in being a teacher that I have forgotten to be a good host. What is your name young one?"

Moriko blushed at being the center of attention. She had been so fascinated in watching the students, that she had almost forgotten that she had not introduced herself.

"My name is Moriko, sir. Pleased to meet you," she stated with a deep bow.

"And I am Miyamoto Usagi, though I suspect you already know that." The child nodded; it would be difficult to find a local villager who did not know of the rabbit.

"Now then, Moriko, why do you have so many vegetables with you? I am sure it's quite a story."

And so the child sat in their living room and explained, honest and humble, the incident by the trail and how she wanted to fix her mistake by helping bring the vegetables home. While his husband was being brought up to speed, Leonardo had begun to store the vegetables into their proper place, and to boil the water so they could begin their evening routine.

His husband was patient in listening to the story, and only asked a few questions about Toshio and the rumors that were being spread throughout the village, which Moriko had answered to the best of her abilities. Judging by what he had heard, the rumors of Leonardo being a _kappa_ in disguise was not especially popular. It seemed that the only people who 'believed' it were those who had developed personal grievances with the pair in the past, and were using the rumours as a way to showcase their spit. The turtle was honestly grateful that the lies were not shared by the majority of the village, and that none of his real secrets had been revealed. A _kappa_ was one matter, but a ninja, whether they were from another universe or not, was another issue entirely. Usagi did not seem to share his optimism, if his rigid posture was any indication. The turtle sighed to himself as he poured a cup of tea; he had really hoped for a quiet evening with his husband. He re-entered the living room, carrying a tray with three cups of tea on top. If there was one thing his father had taught him, it was that any problem was made simpler if one had a good cup of tea in their hand.

Some of the tension eased from his husband's shoulders as Leonardo sat next to him and offered him a cup. He offered his most reassuring smile, which seemed to help ease Usagi's stress even more as the rabbit offered his own small smile in return, along with an earnest "Thank you". Moriko seemed to be surprised at receiving a cup of tea, as she was hesitant to take a sip until the two men had started drinking, but if her calmed expression was any indication she had found the tea to be delicious.

"So, if what you have said is correct, these rumors have only begun fairly recently, and only amongst allies of Yoshida- _san_."

"Yes, sir."

"Then we must address these rumors sooner as opposed to later. While I doubt Yoshida-san is capable of truly damaging Ryo- _san_ 's reputation, it still would not do for such rumors to run wildly. What do you think?" at this question Usagi turned his gaze towards the turtle. He seemed genuinely concerned, and Leo had to resist the urge to sooth his lover's brow.

"Aside from my encounter with Moriko, my trip into town was extremely uneventful. That being said, we cannot allow Yoshida to spread dangerous rumors. If he is starting to speak ill against one person, it would not surprise me if he targets other people in the future." The "Like you" was left unsaid, but Leonardo was certain that his husband had understood the implied meaning.

Usagi nodded and turned to face the badger girl.

"Thank you for bringing this matter to my attention. I will be sure to deal with this matter in the near future."

"Yes, sir," replied Moriko, though she looked and sounded rather anxious. Usagi had noticed the child's concern and his stern expression melted into the kindest of smiles.

"You are not in trouble, child. You have shown your character by apologizing and for helping Ryo- _san_. Neither of us are angry at you."

At this the child's expression brightened.

"Really?"

"Really."

"Thank you so much," she responded with a deep bow.

"Now then, you should probably be on your way. You would not want your parents to worry about you."

"Ah! You're right!" and with that realization the girl leap off of the floor and dashed to grab her sandals.

"Thank you again, Miyamoto- _san_! See you, again Ryo- _san_! Take care!"

"Have a good evening, Moriko," Leonardo responded as he waved the young girl off. The child gave a quick wave back before she all but sprinted down the trail. The turtle could not help but chuckle; her enthusiasm was amusing and endearing.

"She seems like a good child," Leonardo said. But instead of receiving a response there was only silence, which made the turtle turn to his husband in concern.

"Usagi?"

The rabbit returned his partner's gaze. He looked so exhausted and tired, and it was then that Leo had realized the samurai was more concerned over the incident then he originally revealed. He enveloped his husband in a firm hug, which caused his husband to tense slightly before relaxing into the embrace.

"This is not your fault. You should not be upset with yourself, my love."

The rabbit sighed deeply and returned the hug with a tight grip, as if he was worried the turtle disappear.

"Thank you, but that is not why I am like this," the rabbit said. He held for a few more moments and stepped back, so he could look at the turtle's face.

"I am like this because I am frustrated by the callous behaviour of others," his eyebrows furrowed as he said this, "How can people be so selfish that they would harass _you_ when they really have an issue with _me_?" With this admission his pinched brow relaxed and his angered gaze turned back to the tired one he wore earlier.

"And yet, what really upsets me the most is that this has happened to _you_." The last word sounded so broken that Leonardo wanted to hug the rabbit again, but instead held back to allow his husband to speak.

"You have already lived through so much adversity that I cannot even imagine it. And now, here in our home, you _still_ have to fight. I cannot bare seeing others treat you so poorly. It is not _right_!"

"I know," the turtle replied in a calm voice. He knew his husband hated to see injustice and hypocrisy in the world, and often would often go to great lengths to right a perceived wrong. While it was one of the rabbit's most endearing qualities it was also clear that this empathy had its emotional costs. Thankfully, as the two began to grow closer, Usagi was willing to discuss his frustrations and doubts, just as Leonardo had admitted his own personal burdens some years before. The process was slow, but in the end the pair had arrived to a much better understanding of each other than they had in the past. Usagi's moods were now much simpler to interpret and comprehend, while the rabbit acknowledged the turtle's need for silence and solitude.

Leonardo reached for his husband's shoulders, a calming gesture that the two had shared, which prompted the rabbit the look up from the floor.

"But, we are not in trouble, Usagi. So far these rumours are just that. One child does not mean our lives have been compromised. I did not encounter any hostility in the town today, which shows to me that Moriko was being honest. And I am certain that if anyone speaks ill of us, the majority of the village would vouch for our characters. Furthermore, Yoshida is not nearly as powerful as he believes himself to be. Yoshida is rich, but he has a rather low standing with the local families."

Usagi nodded in agreement.

"True," he replied, but then raised an inquisitive eyebrow, "Since when were _you_ so well versed in social politics?"

The turtle shrugged and smiled. "Old habits. People are not nearly as good at keeping secrets as they would believe, especially if it's in front of a local farmer," he scrunched his beak in distaste, "Doesn't make it any less boring, though."

The rabbit laughed; he was well aware of his husband's dislike of certain social niceties.

"I suppose I have been worrying too much?"

"Just a bit."

"Hmm. Well, in any case I suppose we shall deal with this problem sooner than later. I am certain Yoshida would not be adverse to me bringing my gardener along with me to make a social call?"

"Possibly, unless if he brought some of his best vegetables as a gift?"

The rabbit's lips twitched in amusement. The image forming in his mind was becoming more amusing with each new detail.

"Do not worry, I will keep a low profile; how else can he see that I don't have a bowl on my head?"

And this finally did cause the rabbit to explode with laughter, which in turn caused the turtle to respond in kind. The two _tokages_ turned to the pair with inquisitive glances before stretching themselves out on the porch. The wind chime ringed at an afternoon breeze carried through. They had fought side-by-side to make a home for themselves and they would continue to fight if it was necessary. After all they were still ninja and samurai; they lived and died by the sword.


End file.
